Horizontal gun rack with locking device



July 26, 19.60 J. cALolERo ErAL 2,946,452 Y HORIZONTAL GUN RACK WITH LOCKING DEVICE RAYMOND F. ROCCHI MW MM July 26, 1960 J. cALolERo ETAL 2,945,452

HORIZONTAL GUN RACK WITH LOCKING DEVICE Filed April 16, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS.- JOHN CALOIERO ALDO MICHELINI RAYMOND F? ROCCHI SYM@ ,fw/evt ATT'YS United States HORIZONTAL GUN RACK WITH LOCKING DEVICE John Caloiero, Aldo Michelini, and Raymond P. Rocchi, Chicago, lll., assignors to Artistic Wood Specialties, Inc., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Apr. 16, 1958, Ser. No. 729,019

6 Claims. (Cl. 211-4) This invention relates to a gun rack in general, and particularly a gun rack for supporting guns in horizontal positions. More specifically, the invention relates to a horizontal gun rack incorporating a locking device.

The invention comprises in general a horizontal base member and a second spaced horizontal member, each secured at its outer ends to side rails, there being a drawer slidably mounted between the side rails and between the two horizontal members. One of the side rails is provided with a locking device which is controlled bythe position of the drawer, the locking device being in normal closed or locked position when the drawer is in closed position, but is released to unlocked position when the drawer is opened a certain amount.

Y The locking device consists of a vertical member or bar secured to one of the side rails with the individual locking members arranged between the bar and the rail.

The bar is secured rigidly yto one of the side rails andv contains an elongated slot in which a rod is slidably mounted, the slidable rod normally being held in its downward position by means of a spring. The locking devices are in the form of curved ngers or C-shaped arms which have their inner ends pivotally secured to the bar and pivotally mounted in elongated slots which receive pins on the slidable locking rod.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a gun rack to support guns in a straight horizontal plane, without any tipping, and which locks the guns between a part of the gun stock and behind the gun trigger guard so that when the locking fingers are in locked position, a gun may not be removed from the rack, the locking means being controlled by the opening and closing of the drawer so that all guns are locked in the gun rack when the drawer is closed, and free for removal when 4the drawer is open, the drawer containing a lock and key whereby the guns may not be removed from the rack so long as the drawer is locked.

A further object of the invention consists in arranging the side rails of the gun rack in such a position that the cradles of the side rails are at diierent elevations so that when the guns are mounted in their respective opposed cradles, the guns will be arranged in straight horizontal position.

A further object of the invention consists in the provision of new and improved locking means for locking all guns in position simultaneously, and reversely, permitting unlocking of the guns.

A still further object of the invention consists in the provision of new and improved locking means consisting of a spring-urged rod, there being curved spring-controlled fingers or C-shaped members which are brought to closed position when a drawer cooperating with the rack is closed, and which permits the locking means to be moved automatically to open position by spring means when the drawer is arranged in open or partly open position.

Numerous other objects and advantages will be ap- 2,946,452 Patented July 26, 1960 parent throughout the progress of the specification which follows.

The accompanying drawings illustrate a selected eme' bodiment of the invention, and the views therein are as follows:

Fig. il is a detail perspective view of the improved gun rack of the invention showing the frontand leftside thereof, and the manner in which the locking meansis arranged in locking position for locking a gun to the rack, the drawer being in closed position;

Fig. 2 is a View similar to Fig. 1, but showing the locking means in its unlocked position with the drawerin open position;

Fig. 3 is a detail longitudinal vertical section, on an enlarged scale, on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1, and showing the locking means in locked position, the drawer being closed, parts being broken away for the sake of clearness;

Fig. 4 is a View similar to Fig. 3, but showing the drawer in partly open position with the locking means in unlocked position;

Fig. 5 is a detail vertical sectional view on the line 5 5 of Fig. l; i

Fig. 6 is a detail transverse sectional View on the line 6 6 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 7 is a detail transverse sectional view on the liney 7 7 of Pig. 3.

The particular construction herein shown for the pur-A pose of illustrating the invention comprises a horizontal gun rack 1 comprising a base or bottom board 2 and an upper horizontal member 3, the members 2 and 3 being mounted between, and secured to, spaced side rails 4 and 5. The side rail 4, Figs. 1 to 4, is provided with cradles 6 cooperating with similar cradles 7 on the side rail 5, Figs. 2 and 5. The bottom or supporting surface 8, dened by each cradle arm 6, is at an elevation lower than the bottom or supporting surface 9 of the cradle arms 5 (compare Figs. 4 and 5), so that when a gun 10, Fig. l, is arranged in position and rests on the bottom of Ithe surfaces 8 and 9 of the cradles 6 and 7, respectively, the gun 10 will be in straight horizontal non-tilted position. The barrel 11 of the gun 10 is smaller in size than that part 12 of the gun between the trigger guard 13 and the stock 14, Fig. l. An upper cross member or tie bar 15 is connected to the rails 4 and 5 near the upper ends thereof to maintain the rails 4 and 5 in proper spaced apart rigid position.

A vertical bar 16 is secured to the inner face of the side bar 4, Fig. 1, and has an elongated groove 17, Fig. 3, arranged longitudinally thereof, the groove 17 facing the inner surface of the vertical rail 4. A slide rod 18 is slidably mounted in the groove 17 and extends upwardly at a point below the top of the side bar 16 anda considerable distance beyond the lower edge of the side bar 4 and through a slot or opening 19 in the upper horizontal member 3, Figs. 2 to 4, so that a lower part or end 20 thereof, Fig. 4, will extend a predetermined distance below the bottom of the member 3.

The slide rod 18 has a spring 21, Fig. 3, connected thereto, the upper end of the spring 21 being connected at 22 to the slide rod 18, and the lower end of the spring 21 being connected to a cross pin 23 straddling the groove 17 and ixed to the bar 18 on each side of the groove 17,.Fig. 6.

Arcuate fingers or C-shaped members 24 have their open ends facing the bot-toms of the cradles 6, the extreme outer ends 25 extending practically to, or beyond, the upper ends of the cradle arms 6. The inner ends 26 ofthe members 24, Figs. 3 and 4, are pivotally mounted on pins Z7 carried by a rigid part of the bar 16. The inner ends 26 of the C-shaped members 24 also vhave their inner ends provided withelongated slots 2.8 which are adapted to receive pins 29 on the slide rod 18. Thus,

when the longitudinal slidable rod 18 is given longitudinal vertical movement, the C-shaped members or curved ngers 24 will be turned on their pivots 27; and because of the slots 28 receivingV the pinsl 29 in the slide rod 18, the pivotal movement of the members 24 about the pivots 27 wilt be free and easy and cause the C-shaped members or curved tingers 24 to be shifted from the position shown in Figs. l and 3 to the position shown in Figs. 2 and 4. The bar 16 is cut away along one side of the groove 17 to permit rotary movement of the inner end of a C-shaped member.

The extreme lower end of the slide rod 18 extends through the horizontal member `3, and has its bottom end beveled at ySiti, as more clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4, and is adapted to engage with a cooperating inclined edge. This inclined edge 3d on the longitudinal vertical shiftable rod 1i? is adapted to engage a cooperating inclined edge 31 on a drawer 32 which is arranged beneath the base 2 and the horizontal member 3, and between the side rails 4 and 5, Figs. 3 and 4. When the drawer 32 is in open position, Yas shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the spring 21 pulis the-bar 18 downwardly, Fig. 4, causing the curved lingers or C-shaped members 24 to be moved from the position shown in Fig. 3 to the posi- :tion shown in Fig. 4, whereby the guns 1'0 on the rack 1 may be released and removed. However, when the guns are arranged in position, and the drawer 32 is moved to closed position, as shown in Figs. l and 3, the inclined rear edge 3l of the drawer will engage thelower inclined edge 30 of the rod 18 and cause the rod 18 to be pulled upwardly in its slot 17 against the tension ofthe spring 21, and thus cause the curved iingers or -C-shaped members 24 to be shifted from open position, Figs 2 and 4, to closed position, Figs. 1 and 3.

The drawer 32 is provided with spaced pull knobs 33, and a lock 34 mounted on the inside of the drawer to engage a keeper 3S arranged on the underside of the upper member 3. A key 36 controls the operation of the lock 34. Thus, when the drawer 32 is closed, the curved lingers or C-shaped members 24 will be moved downwardly to locked position, Figs. l and 3, because of the upward movement of the slide rod 18 caused by the engagement of the beveled surface 30 on the bottom of the slide rod engaging a corresponding beveled surface on the side of the drawer 32. After the drawer is closed and locked, Figs. l and 3, a gun may not be removed from the rack until the lock 34 is unlocked by the key 36 and the drawer is rendered opening movement.

The opposed sides 37, 37 of the drawer, Fig. 2, are each provided with a transverse groove 38 which aline with each other, whereupon a gun may rest in the grooves 38 for cleaning, oiling, and other purposes. Cleaning rods, cleaning cloths, shells, and other paraphernalia m-ay be arranged in the drawer, and when the drawer is locked, access may not be had except by control operation of the key 36.

The `C-shaped locking members 214 are shown as being applied to the left-hand rail 4, although they may be applied to the right-hand rail 5, if desired. Or, the locking means may be applied to both rails 4 and 5. In some instances it may `be desirable to have one gun facing in one direction and another gun in another direction, but in that case the cradles would have to be staggered so that the guns would still rest in a straight horizontal untilted position.

The gun rack herein specifically shown is adapted particularly to be hung on the wall, but in cases where more guns are to be racked, the device may be made taller and rest on the door, and, if necessary or desirable, be screwed to the wall.

The invention provides a highly attractive, extremely useful gun rack which is capable of supporting the guns in perfect horizontal position without any tipping, and the guns may be locked in position by merely shutting the drawer, -as the C-shaped members engage that part of the gun immediately rearward of the finger guard and forward of the stock. Therefore, the gun may not be pulled out of its cradle, as the size of the C-shaped member, cooperating with its respective cradle, is smaller than the stock and the trigger guard. The device is strong and durable; is not likely to get out of order; displays guns very attractively, particularly by showing the beauti` fully grained walnut stocks;v and still keeps unauthorized persons from removing the guns from the racks.

`Changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of its advantages, and the right is hereby reserved to make all such changes as fall fairly within the scope of the following claims.

The invention is hereby claimed as follows:

l. A gun rack comprising a pair of spaced apart side rails, a base between said rails to which the rails are secured, an intermediate supporting member arranged between said rails and secured thereto above the base member and providing space for a drawer, a drawer slidably mounted in said space, said rails having cradles formed therein, a bar secured to at least one of said rails on the inner surface thereof, C-shaped locking members arranged adjacent the cradles of one rail, means for pivotally mounting said -C-shaped members to the bar, said bar having an elongated groove therein, a rod slidably arranged in said groove, means for pivoting the inner ends of the C-shaped members to the bar, the inner ends of the C-shaped members hav-ing elongated slots, pins mounted on the slidable rod and receivable in said slots, a spring normally urging the slide rod in a downward position whereby the open end of the C-shaped member is moved away from the cradle, said slidable rod having a bevel surface on its lower end, and a bevel surface on the drawer at one end thereof for engagement with the bevel surface on the rod to pivot the C-shaped members to locked position when the drawer is closed.

2. The gun rack dened in claim 1, and means for locking the drawer in closed position.

3'. A gun rack comprising a pair of vertically extending and horizontally spaced side rails, said side rails having cradles formed therein coacting to support guns, a pair of horizontally extending and vertically spaced members secured at opposite ends to said side rails and dening therewith a space for a drawer, a drawer slidably arranged in said space for movement between open and closed position, and means for locking guns in position on the cradles including a vertically extending rod mounted for slidable movement adjacent one of said rails, a plurality of G-shaped members pivotally mounted adjacent said one rail, one for `each cradle for movement between locked and unlocked position, means on said rod engageable with said E-shaped members to actuate same into locked and unlocked position upon movement of said rod, and means responsive to movement of said drawer into closed position for moving said rod to actuate said C-shaped members into locked position.

4. A gun rack comprising a pair of vertically extend- `ing and horizontally spaced side rails, said side rails hav- -ing cradles formed therein coacting to support guns, a pair of horizontally extending and vertically spaced members secured at opposite ends to said side rails and dening therewith a space for a drawer, a drawer slidably arranged in said space for movement between open and closed position, and means for locking guns in position on the cradles including a vertically extending rod mounted for slidable movement adjacent one of said rails, the lower end of said rod extending through the uppermost member and into the path of said drawer, a plurality of C-shaped members pivotally mounted adja cent said one rail, one for each cradle for movement between locked and unlocked position, means on said rod engageable with said C-shaped members to actuate same into `locked and unlocked position upon movement of said Tod, and means `responsive to movement of said drawer into closed position for moving said rod to actuate said C-shaped members into locked position.

5. A gun rack as dened in claim 4, wherein the lower end of said rod has a bevel surface `and the inner end of said drawer has a bevel surface engaging the bevel surface on said rod to control movement thereof.

6. A gun rack comprising a pair of vertically extending and horizontally spaced side rails, said side rails having cradles formed therein coating to support guns, a pair of horizontally extending and vertically spaced members secured at opposite ends to said side rails and cleiining therewith a space for a drawer, a drawer slidably arranged in said space for movement between open and closed position, and means for locking guns in position on the cradles including a vertically arranged bar having a longitudinal groove therein secured adjacent one of said rails, a rod slidable Iin said groove and having its lower end extending through the uppermost member and into the path of the drawer, a plurality of C-shaped members pivotally mounted on said bar, one coacting with each cradle of said one rail for movement Ibetween locked and unlocked position therewith, means on said rod engagable with said `G-shaped members to pivot same between locked and unlocked position upon movement of said rod, and means responsive to movement of said drawer into closed position for moving said rod to actuate said C-shaped members into locked position.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 505,799 Brown Sept. 26, 1893 1,139,940 Westmoreland May 18, 1915 2,667,274 Diebold Ian. 26, 1954 2,710,100 Vermillion June 7, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 13,809 Great Britain July 4, 1905 

